Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel to the first game, following protagonist Arthur Morgan and putting John Marston in a supporting role. Since these two games are connected, however, fans have tried to find other similarities and side-by-side comparisons. This includes looking at Red Dead Redemption’s arsenal of customizable firearms, ranging from sawed-off shotguns to double-action revolvers. However, not every gun from the first game could be found in its prequel.
There are a variety of potential reasons why a firearm from RDR was not transferred into the final release of Red Dead Redemption 2. While RDR2 takes place only seven years before the events of the first game, there are still period accurate changes that need to be made to keep with Rockstar’s immersive design. It is also possible that some weapons received an upgrade with the new release, being replaced by an improved version of its previous incarnation.
According to the list on IGN, out of the selection of sidearms, only one semi-automatic pistol was not included in RDR2. In single-player, the High Power Pistol is given to protagonist John Marston by Edgar Ross in the opening cutscene of the story-mission “Bear One Another’s Burdens”. In multiplayer, the weapon can be unlocked as a part of the player’s regular inventory upon reaching rank 35, or in Tesoro Azul where it is frequently carried by local law enforcement in Blackwater. The weapon’s high rate of fire and reload rate are balanced with a moderate range and damage output.
What Red Dead Redemption Weapons Aren't In R2RD
In terms of long-range, three Red Dead Redemption weapons didn't make the jump to RDR2. The Henry Repeater, which can be obtained in single-player by clearing the outlaw hideout in Nosalida, sports the second highest ammo capacity out of the four repeaters available in game. The Winchester Repeater, which is recognized as one of the more iconic weapons in the first Red Dead Redemption game, is the weapon Bill Williamson and his gang use to gun down John Marston in the mission “Exodus in America."
The last missing RDR2 weapon found in Red Dead Redemption is the Buffalo Rifle, a weapon with high damage, rate of fire, and reload speed that evens things out with a single round ammo capacity. The rifle can be purchased at any gunsmith, or acquired upon completing rank 5 of the Master Hunter Challenges in Red Dead Redemption. It can also be unlocked upon reaching rank 50 in multiplayer.
Despite the firearm lists not matching exactly, there is still a lot of comparisons and fun Easter eggs from Red Dead Redemption in RDR2. The discrepancy in weapon variety may simply be due to Rockstar's desire to make weapons look more accurate to the time periods being represented in each game. The available guns from both games are solid and contain variety, so players may choose whatever best suits their play style.
Source: IGN